Now sporting quite the entourage, we meandered around a corner and stumbled upon a collection of tricked-out low-riders, decked out with all kinds of hydraulics and air bags! On a nearby stoop, a stereo connected to a long extension cord was belting out funky "Earth Wind and Fire" tunes.

No visit to the Mission would be complete without stopping in at Mission Pie. So, that's precisely where we went after checking out the cars. The strawberry rhubarb was fantastic, as was the Shaker lemon, but our company was even better than the food. It was such a treat to chat with our like-minded, cycle-touring friends before they parted ways and headed towards home. It was great to finally meet you, Max and Manjula!!

Next up, we went to Tara's idea of heaven on earth, the cookbooks-only Omnivore books.

Our last stop in the bay was Dan's place, where we chilled out with his girlfriend Christine, an industrial designer and co-founder of Alite Designs(makers of fun, useful, camping and urban products ranging from backpacks, camping chairs, dog items, clothing and more). Sitting on their swanky rooftop terrace, we soaked up some sun and chatted about life in this iconic and vibrant city.

Back downstairs, Dan assumed his alter-ego of San Francisco's own DJ Spinnerty, playing some records. Bored by the same stagnating music collection we've had for the past two years, it was a revelation to hear some new stuff. Thank you, Dan!